Osteria la Buca Restaurant Review

: Gone are the wood paneling and Fellini scenes that once made Osteria la Buca a little neighborhood joint; an industrial vibe (designed by Brendan Ravenhill) created from cement walls, modern art and exposed Edison light bulbs now prevails. The kitchen turns out a rustic multitude of seasonal, mostly Northern Italian delights. Start with the fava bean crostini topped with lamb pancetta and lemon zest, a focused blend of ingredients recalling the more delicate side of Italian fare, or crispy Brussels sprouts salad with anchovy vinaigrette. The thin-crust pizzas are worth trying, and we particularly like the one layered with hen of the woods mushrooms, Taleggio cheese and caramelized onions. Porchetta is a standout: crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, oozing liquid pork on a bed of cannellini beans and finished with spring onion agrodolce. On occasion, we’ve encountered cool service, lending unnecessarily to an already austere room. Though the wine list is predominately Italian, there are quite a few options, as well as domestic labels, available at a reasonable price. For dessert, check out the salted butterscotch budino or tiramisu.